Ben Callaghan: Change will help going forward

Last week I wrote about the importance of Kids Go Free games, I did not expect to be sat here this week looking at the first departure of the new season for the Swindon Wildcats.

Miroslav Zalesak departed the club last Friday by mutual consent. A move he cannot be criticised for, the main reason would appear to be he was homesick from his family who’d tried the move to Swindon but it hadn’t worked and thus returned to Slovakia.

Miro bought a great deal to the Swindon roster. He’d had experience from some of the top leagues in Europe and those experiences certainly had an impact on the Swindon side.

His return of 10 points in seven games isn’t bad for an import playing his first few weeks in a new country, especially if he’s here without his family.

I think the mutual decision was the correct one. With the Cats struggling for consistency, I think a change may have help them going forward. If we had an unhappy player there is no point in them hanging on at the club.

This move seems to fit for all parties, it gives Lyle an option to tinker with his import unit having seen them play. The promise is tomorrow we’ll be announcing the new import signed, who is younger and hungrier than Miro was, which may not be a bad thing.

Young and hungry players can have tremendous input into teams, just look at Tomasz Malasinski.

We’ve been promised the new guy will be a Canadian-Italian. It’s a move not necessarily done much in the EPL but if he’s had a decent junior college career in Canada he’ll have had some good training and will be a solid player. Hopefully it’s a signing we’ll all be impressed with. I for one can’t wait to find out who it is!

It’s another interesting couple of games for Swindon this weekend.

Sheffield at home will pose a different threat to last season, having gone to the away game a couple of weeks ago they’re a well drilled hockey side. Sedlar looks to have found some form, Lubomir Korhon is as much a threat as ever before and Tom Squires seems to have found a new lease of life under new player coach Greg Wood. They’re going to be tough to beat that’s for sure.

Sunday in Telford poses another massive challenge. They’re champions for a reason even if they are struggling a little this season, Jason Silverthorn back from injury will be a massive boost for them, and hopefully we can continue our good track of results against the Tigers.

Enjoy the hockey this week folks, and don’t forget to get to the Link on Saturday where hopefully we’ll have a nice new import on the ice ready for a proper Swindon Wildcats welcome!